Even though his team won the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots on Feb. 8, Sam Darnold is going to lose some money.
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The quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks and the other members of his team were paid $178,000 for winning the championship game, according to PEOPLE.
That's because the Super Bowl isn't a regular-season game. This means player salaries are different from what they would be under their contracts. Drake Maye and the Patriots players received $103,000 for their appearance.
But everyone who played in the Super Bowl is subject to California's "jock tax." That is in addition to whatever taxes they must pay on their earnings. What does that mean for Darnold's actual pay day? We'll explain below.
Sam Darnold Will Owe More in Taxes Than He Was Paid
In California, out-of-state players are charged an additional tax based on the number of days they spend in the state for a game.
Since the Seahawks arrived in Santa Clara a week before the Super Bowl, they will be charged for eight days of work. More days will likely be added when the new season starts.
Darnold is currently playing with the Seahawks under a $105 million, three-year contract. That also includes a $2.5 million bonus for winning the Super Bowl. That means the quarterback is estimated to pay between $197,771 and $249,000 under California's "jock tax," significantly more than the $178,000 he received for winning the game.
Darnold Will Likely Come Out Ahead in the End
It is also estimated that, had the Patriots won the Super Bowl, quarterback Maye would have owed $186,000 in California taxes. This is because his four-year contract is worth $36.6 million.
However, Darnold will likely come out ahead when all is said and done. Winning championships also means winning endorsements. Darnold is expected to snag a few after his team's decisive victory last week. Many marquee players earn double their salaries because of endorsement deals.
For example, NBA player LeBron James earns an estimated $80 million in endorsement deals. That is considerably more than his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, which is estimated to be over $45 million.
Apparently, a free trip to Walt Disney World just isn't enough nowadays.
